The end of an old school lumber yard in Terre Haute

Geo-TH,In · Aug 7, 2021

This is the end of an era. An old school lumber yard where you couldn't buy anything until the guy behind the counter could assist you.

One could wait for a long time waiting on a woman in front of you to make up her mind what she wanted to buy. Most of the time she was just window shopping. GRRRRRRRRRR

This is a place where you could buy nails by the pound.

Also you could spend a half day waiting on help.

You wanted to avoid Saturdays.

I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did. Less than a quarter mile form the north Menards.

Many mom and pop lumber yards existed before the big chain lumber yards showed up.

Furrows was the first. Many of small yards closed. Carter, 84 also closed.

Then Lowes moved in next to Furrows. Don't remember if Menards put an end to Furrows or Lowes did. Now we only have a Lowes and 2 Menards. Lowes parking lot is empty compared to Menards. NO home depot.
Niehaus lumber out of business.

Hay hay hay · Aug 7, 2021

Your points about the service and the way they did business is the key to the failure. Many people want to blame some outside force for the demise of the stores in the small towns across America. In reality the cause of their death is that the customers found a store, restaurant or church is that they liked better than the OLD LOCAL entity. Sometimes it was price, sometimes variety of selection, sometimes bad service by the local store. In this age when we want to always blame the government, this is one case when we can look in the mirror and say...
We made this decision to buy elsewhere, and thus forever change the face of our little town.

300jk · Aug 7, 2021

My lumber yard choices limited here also. Nothing family owned anymore. We do have a really nice old time hardware store not too far away in the next town over. You can still buy nails by the pound ect. They sell basically anything from paint to hunting and fishing supplies. I have bought lengths of black stove pipe there where I needed a specific length with both ends crimped. They cut the pipe and crimped it with an old hand powered crimper. Just really an old school family run buiseness. They had sold it, and the new owners were not like what people were used to. The family bought it back and is running it again. I love going there ! It even smells like you stepped back 100 years. That old building smell if you know what I mean ! The owners are great and always take the time to actually help you ! Does it cost a little more ? Yes. Im ok with that though. I dont always go there, but do when it makes sense.

GaryinKs · Aug 7, 2021

Several years ago when I was at Harbor Freight in Garden City KS , I was talking with a guy from a small town near Dodge City and he said when Home Depot and Menards moved into Garden City , 21 family owned hardware stores and lumber yards in that area went out of business.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 7, 2021

I never went back after I could walk into Menard, pick up what I needed, go to check out and be on my way.

Vito · Aug 7, 2021

Maybe the owners just had enough and want to retire.

Vito

Timmycornpicker · Aug 7, 2021

Belvidere NJ has one like that, and he still sells coal, too.

Phil-mar Farms · Aug 7, 2021

I worked for a lumber wholesaler for twenty five years and have seen many yards close. Often they are family businesses that have no one to take over. Some are so antiquated that they cant compete. Many have survived by becoming part of small chain. And Ive seen whole chains collapse. The boom and bust of the housing market hurt many beyond the point of no repair

Steve@Advance · Aug 7, 2021

There is an Ace Hardware in the next town that is like that, they have lumber, hardware, lots of merchandise that HD and Lowes don't have.

I tried doing business with them, but the service is beyond bad! Lazy and clueless seems to be the requirements for employment! And it's not like they are busy and spread too thin, more employees standing around than customers, but ask for help, it ain't gonna happen...

Haven't been back in a couple years, don't know if it's still there.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 7, 2021

All Ace hardwares are gone too.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 7, 2021

You never know why a business closes.
I do know a 100 year old business closed and sold building after workers went on strike during the lockdown.
One guy is still looking for a job as good as what he had.

Hay hay hay · Aug 7, 2021

Did he give you a list>? Or did you just accept what he said as fact? Now you have passed him on as fact on the internet.

MarkB_MI · Aug 7, 2021

There are still a few decent lumberyards within 30 miles of me, but not so many as there once were. Michigan Lumber in Flint is very good. I also buy lumber from Burke in Waterford, a smaller outfit. And if I need hardwood, we have Armstrong Millworks in Highland; they will sell you roughsawn hardwood or will mill it to spec.

SVcummins · Aug 8, 2021

You are really brilliant. You have now been passed on as an idiot On the internet

Geo-TH,In · Aug 8, 2021

My last independent lumber that sold quality wood burned about 20 years ago.
Medical center now.
My local sawmill guy died.
Have to go half way between TH and Indy, CC Cook lumber, to get quality roughsawn lumber. For the most part, my furniture making days are behind me.
My boy had gotten a little sawdust bug making axe handles. I've give him any tool he wants. Only problem Dad I don't have the space,
Poor boy lives in a subdivision, HOA won't let him add on.
I'm country.. NO WAY would I live in a HOA...
I know people moving to Florida's villages. Village idiots.
I can only hope I live long enough for my boy to retire and move back home to the only home he grew up in. He would get everything including a new pole barn with every tool he needs and some tools he wouldn't know what to do with. Tractors too.

Tim in New York · Aug 8, 2021

Lucky here. We have a 3rd generation family hardware/lumber yard with 3 locations that continues to expand and prosper in spite of (or perhaps because of) Lowes and Home Depot. You can ask any of the staff a question and get a sound answer on just about anything. The 3rd generation just passed recently, have no idea who is going to take over. Its a True Value store. Have not be in either of the box stores in a couple of years if not longer.

Tim

MarkB_MI · Aug 8, 2021

> I know people moving to Florida's villages. Village idiots. I can only hope I live long enough for my boy to retire and move back home to the only home he grew up in. He would get everything including a new pole barn with every tool he needs and some tools he wouldn't know what to do with. Tractors too.

Hey George, my wife and I have a place down in Florida; she spends more time down there than I do.

No way will I move to Florida full time. I'd have to give up my shop for starters. The Villages? Fuhgetaboutit! The only things there are to do down there is golf and go to swinger parties. I don't golf, and if I was going to swing I sure as heck wouldn't want to do it with folks who look like me!

Geo-TH,In · Aug 8, 2021

I have 2 sisters in Florida. One full time, other winter only.

I think Florida is a great place to visit in Winter.

I'll never invest in Florida and I'll never live in an HOA.

The Villages aren't for me. Seems they can't build them fast enough.

I'll always have a home or two in Terre Haute. I'm staying put, until they tar and feather me and run me out of town.
If that happens, I'll be driving the Kubota and make it look like I'm leading a parade with a tractor.

Stephen Newell · Aug 8, 2021

Myself, I shop at one of those places when ever possible even though there is a Home Depot next door. I usually end up getting mad over something at HD. When ever they have someone working in a isle they usually close the entire isle and it's always the isle I need something. Then I stayed out of there for six months onetime because I slipped in one of those isles 3' to get something when they were working on the opposite end of the isle and the employee chewed me out.

MarkB_MI · Aug 8, 2021

> I usually end up getting mad over something at HD. When ever they have someone working in a isle [sic] they usually close the entire isle and it's always the isle I need something.

HD and Lowes close aisles for a very good reason: To keep customers and employees from being maimed or killed. In fact, when a fork truck is working on a shelf, they close the aisle on the other side of the shelf as well.

Menards had a much more cavalier approach to safety, and it cost the life of one of their customers here in Michigan.

<a href=https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/09/06/wife-sues-menards-for-100000000-after-husband-crushed-to-death-by-falling-pallet/>https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/09/06/wife-sues-menards-for-100000000-after-husband-crushed-to-death-by-falling-pallet/</a>

I don't know if Menards wised up after that or not. A recent news report would suggest they haven't.

<a href=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/07/23/family-identifies-menards-employee-killed-in-forklift-accident-as-19-year-old-james-stanback/>https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/07/23/family-identifies-menards-employee-killed-in-forklift-accident-as-19-year-old-james-stanback/</a>

MarkB_MI · Aug 8, 2021

> I'll always have a home or two in Terre Haute. I'm staying put, until they tar and feather me and run me out of town.
If that happens, I'll be driving the Kubota and make it look like I'm leading a parade with a tractor.

That tar will be hard to get off your shiny orange tractor, George. And you may have a hard time getting out of the seat!

The end of an old school lumber yard in Terre Haute

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